2016 Caldecott Award winner Sophie Blackall and original VCBF author John Marciano will return to the 2017 festival, where they will entertain and inspire thousands of children from across the state.

Less than a month away, the Virginia Children’s Book Festival again promises three days of dynamic and innovative programs designed to inspire children from across the commonwealth to read—or write and illustrate their own stories.

As in years past, the VCBF is anchored by a star-studded lineup of some of the most acclaimed authors and illustrators in the country. The 2017 lineup features Newbery and Caldecott honorees—the most prestigious awards for children’s books—a National Book Award finalist and several New York Times best-selling authors, in addition to up-and-coming writers who are on the cusp of becoming household names.

The keynote conversation, held Tuesday, Oct. 19, in Blackwell Ballroom, will feature the three most recent recipients of the Caldecott Medal—Dan Santat, Sophie Blackall and Javaka Steptoe—in a fascinating talk titled “You’ll Never Win A Caldecott: A Conversation With Three Caldecott Winners.” The illustrators have never before taken part in a unique conversation like this.

Students who attend the VCBF, set for Oct. 19-21 at Longwood University, will laugh, shout, draw and learn from 26 authors and illustrators, including some fan favorites who have returned each year since the festival’s inception in 2015. Authors including Todd Parr, Sophie Blackall, Timothy Basil Ering and John Marciano have captivated the imaginations of more than 10,000 children so far.

“We are one of the few book festivals in the country that bring in so many school groups,” said Juanita Giles, founder and executive director of the festival. “We’re proud of that for a few reasons. First, kids who come back year after year develop relationships with authors—and the authors remember the children as they grow. That’s an invaluable connection. And the diversity that so many school groups bring—kids from different backgrounds and ethnicities all mingling in the same place and developing a shared love for reading—is very special and an intrinsic part of the VCBF. It’s what makes us strong, and that diversity is mirrored in our author lineup.”

This year, the festival has added more comic book creators and graphic novelists to its Saturday programming, which is focused more on families and interactive workshops. Also new will be special programming designed for children with special needs, offered in partnership with Longwood Speech, Hearing and Learning Services at 311 West Third St.

The VCBF continues to be a free event, with every presentation and workshop open to the public.